Do I need fluoride in my toothpaste? 

One of the hottest topics in oral care for the past few years is fluoride and if it helps with tooth decay.

The majority of dentists and dental professionals falsely believe that fluoride is an essential ingredient in daily oral care products to prevent cavities.

In this blog post, I am going to explain why at Dr. Brite we choose not to include fluoride in our oral care products including toothpaste, mouthwash, oral sprays and teeth whitening products (see also 'Hydroxyapatite vs Fluoride').

Let’s first find out what fluoride is.

Fluoride is an inorganic mineral that is usually found as a salt. It’s white in color and tastes bitter.

According to American Dental Association, when fluoride in high concentrations (from 1000ppm to 3000ppm) comes in contact with the tooth enamel for over 4 minutes, it will help with enamel re-mineralization, therefore it will help with cavity protection.

Please note: there are no studies that support fluoride for enamel re-mineralization and cavity protection when consumed in our drinking water or in fluoride drops prescribed by pediatricians to babies.

At Dr. Brite we don’t believe fluoride should be in any of your daily oral care products because: 

• Most people do not brush their teeth for over 4 minutes to achieve the fluoride re-mineralization they need
• The amount of fluoride in daily oral care products is not enough to help with cavity protection

Fluoride is a neurotoxin and ingesting it even in small amounts could cause serious health problems and even death. Also who wants to call department of poison control if their child has a toothpaste eating habit!

You as a consumer should know exactly what is in your daily products.

You should educate yourself on ingredients and read articles by credible sources so that you are able to make an educated decision of what products to buy for yourselves and your families.

You also should be aware of companies that send mixed signals and want to please everyone.

There are several of these companies in the U.S. that make oral care products both with and without fluoride. These companies do this for their bottom line and not for the well-being of their customers.

As a dental professional I suggest if you or your loved ones are more prone to cavities, meaning you have a genetic pre-disposition and/or you consume sweets on a daily basis, have a medical professional apply a fluoride treatment to your teeth inside a tray for over 4 minutes with a high volume suction present to make sure you are not swallowing any of it twice a year.

This is all you need for cavity protection.

Dr. Brite’s line of fluoride-free toothpastes and mouthwashes are plant based, include organic ingredients, and are effective.

Studies show that in just 30 days of use there is less plaque buildup therefore less chance of cavities and healthier, less bleeding gums. This proves that you don’t need toxic chemicals in your daily products to be effective.

To your health, 
Dr. Pooneh Ramezani

FAQs

1. Is it good to have fluoride in toothpaste?

Fluoride is found in many kinds of toothpaste and has been shown to promote tooth health. Excess fluoride can be harmful, but the amounts in toothpaste are normally harmless when used as directed. Toothpaste is vital to keeping your mouth and teeth healthy.

2. What happens to teeth without fluoride?

According to previous studies, teeth with low fluoride levels may develop thin enamel and a lesser ability to remineralize early decay symptoms," the study's authors say.

3. What is the purpose of fluoride in toothpaste?

As teeth erupt and enamel deteriorates, fluoride aids in remineralising tooth enamel to prevent tooth decay. Your teeth receive fluoride through fluoride toothpaste or other fluoride dental products. The result of this is what is called a "topical" advantage.

4. Is there an alternative to fluoride?

Fluoride substitutions such as xylitol helps prevent tooth decay. Natural sweeteners can be classified as sugar alcohols that come from plant fibers.

5. Can you fight cavities without fluoride?

The dental review stated that without fluoride, oral hygiene may generate actual cavity-fighting advantages that are too tiny to detect in research, or adults may benefit where children in the trials did not.